CAN THE BEAVER BE SAVED? 97 



trying because they considered the beaver naturally 

 ferocious, to a great extent solitary and a slow 

 breeder. Seavel says that two old beavers rarely live 

 together in one house or even in one small pond; that 

 they fight and chase away any newcomers; that if a 

 family grows up and is undisturbed in a pond or a 

 deep bend of the river, its members keep all others 

 of the species away, and that they attack and kill 

 any one of their number that is found in a trap or 

 sick or crippled. AVhile he thinks that systematic 

 breeding for fur is out of the question, he admits that 

 the beaver should be protected all over the country 

 until the few that remain increase and restock the 

 streams. ' ' 



If this is generally true, it may be found that 

 the most profitable course for a beaver-culti- 

 vator is to acquire control of a stream already 

 tenanted by beaver, and guard them there in 

 their natural life, taking only a proper propor- 

 tion each year. 



